Mistakes commonly made with websites
And what to do instead
So what?
ICYMI – In today’s digital age, having a website is a must for any business or organization. However, creating and managing a website can be a complex and challenging task, especially for those who are new to the world of web development. One of the biggest challenges is avoiding the common mistakes that can be made with websites. In this blog post, we will outline some of the most common website mistakes that we have seen in our years of experience in web development. By being aware of these mistakes, you can avoid them and ensure your website is effective, user-friendly, and achieves its intended goals.
Knowing the mistakes commonly made with websites can bring several benefits. First, it helps to avoid those mistakes when creating or managing a website, which can save time, money, and effort. Second, it can improve the user experience of a website, as common mistakes often lead to frustration and confusion for visitors. Third, it can increase the visibility and traffic of a website, as search engines tend to favor well-designed and error-free websites. Fourth, it can enhance the credibility and reputation of a website, as a professional and polished website reflects positively on the organization or individual behind it. Overall, understanding the common mistakes with websites can lead to better outcomes and a more successful online presence.
In this series of blog posts, we will be talking through the mistakes commonly made when designing a website so you can do just that.
All features, no benefits
Are you clear about the difference between features and benefits? Features are the characteristics of a product or service, while benefits are the advantages or outcomes that the customer will experience from using the product or service. When promoting your product or service, focus on the benefits to engage the reader and show them how the product or service can make a positive impact on their life.
To focus on benefits as opposed to features, you need to think about the problem that your product or service solves for your potential customers. Once you have identified the problem, you can then highlight how your product or service solves that problem and the benefits that the customer will receive from using it.
You can also use storytelling to illustrate the benefits of your product or service. Share stories of how your product has helped other customers and the positive outcomes they have experienced.
In summary, to focus on benefits, identify the problem your product or service solves, highlight how it solves the problem, and use storytelling to illustrate the positive outcomes that the customer will experience from using it.
Not testing your website
Testing your website is crucial to ensure that it is functioning properly and providing a positive user experience. Advantages include identifying and fixing errors, ensuring compatibility with different devices and browsers and improving user experience on your website.
The easiest way to test your website that I found is to use Google PageSpeed. It helps you identify issues with your website’s speed, performance, accessibility and errors whilst providing you with recommendations on how to fix them. You can also conduct user testing by asking family and friends to navigate your website and provide you with feedback on their experience.
My experience
As a small business owner, I created a website to showcase our services. I noticed that my website wasn’t generating as much traffic as I had hoped nor was I getting many inquiries or sales. Determined to find out what was causing the issue, I decided to test our website using Google PageSpeed. To my surprise, I discovered that our website was slow to load and was not mobile-friendly which would have caused potential clients to leave the site.
As a result of my testing and improvements, our website was more accessible and attractive to current and potential clients. Whilst it doesn’t generate hundreds of visits or made us rich, I was glad that I had taken the time to test my website and make improvements for the betterment of the small number of clients and blog readers we have.
What now?
- Take action now and test your website for speed, performance, and compatibility. Use online tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify issues and make improvements.
- Ask friends, family, or colleagues to navigate your website and provide feedback on their experience. Use this feedback to identify areas where the user experience can be improved and make changes accordingly.
- Work with a web developer to optimize your website’s speed and performance, and make sure that it is mobile-friendly and compatible with different browsers. These improvements can help you attract more customers, generate more sales, and provide a better user experience for your customers.